Exodus ends with the Glory of God coming on the Tabernacle…..taking His place over the mercy seat…
Exodus 40:34 “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.”
…..and Leviticus opens with God’s Voice….speaking of the sacrifices which would be the only means to meet with Him.
And that was what God wanted His people to do: meet with Him….on the basis of sacrifice……recognizing three things in the sacrifice:
cost: it would cost them something to come, for they would have to bring the sacrifice.
The power of the blood……for the life is in the blood: and for them to come (in all but one)…it would have to be shed.
These would have to be repeated till Christ the Messiah came.
Leviticus 1:1-2 “And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord,…”
The Lord Jesus Christ was the great Sacrifice. It was to Him that all the other sacrifices pointed.
There were five offerings: the whole burnt offering, the Meat (Meal) offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering.
Christ was the fulfillment of all of them…..but we are only going to speak of the last two:
The sin offering:
Leviticus 4:2 “……If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them:….”
The sin offering deals with that fact that we sin,…..because we are sinners.
I am not a sinner because I sin;…….I sin, because I am a sinner.
This was for a sin of ignorance….There was no sin offering, for a willful, deliberate sin.
In light of the cross of Christ, God counts only one sin as willful…..the rejection of Jesus Christ, His Son as our Lord and Savior.
All others are considered the outcome of our evil heart of unbelief…..done in ignorance…..till the light of Christ shines.
Ephesians 4:18 “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”
To offer the sacrifice, they were to bring a bullock…..unblemished.
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”
They were to put their hand on the head of the animal and kill it themselves. (A recognition that our sins crucified Christ).
Then the priest was to take the blood….three places:
Before the veil…where inside was the mercy seat, where dwelt the Presence of God…in the Holy of Holies.
On the horns of the incense altar in the Holy Place, which speaks of prayer….His prayer for us as Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
And the rest was poured out by the Brazen Altar….as Christ’s was poured out on the cross.
Leviticus 17:11 “For the life of the flesh is in the blood;…..for it is the blood that maketh atonement for the soul.”
The inward fat and parts were to be burnt up….how much inward suffering, did the Lord Jesus have, because of my sin.
And the rest was to be carried outside the camp…..and burnt.
(Hebrews 13:12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.)
What can the guilt of a person be……who refuses the offer of such a Savior?
Hebrews 2:3 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him;”
The trespass offering….
Every sin is a “trespass” against God’s righteous government….and He demands that certain restoration be done.
(Leviticus 5:15-19). “If a soul commit a trespass…..in the holy things of the Lord; then he shall bring for his trespass….a ram without blemish (this would have been the best male of the flock….given for the trespass)…..with thy estimation (of the damage) by shekels of silver,……
….and if a soul sin…..; though he wist it not, yet he is guilty, and shall bear his iniquity……and he shall bring a ram with out blemish….and it shall be forgiven him.
It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the Lord.”
If an Israelite underestimates his crop….and does not bring the full tithe….then as soon as he realizes his error…..he was to rectify it,….and bring this sacrifice.
God was trying to teach the importance of His Word…..that they should know it,….and observe it.
We should hear the Word and know what it says;…..for His Word is the standard of God’s judgement….(John 12:48-50)….not what we think is good.
If an Israelite lies to his neighbor about an animal that he found, or about the worth of something….then he shall restore the thing, and add a fifth part more….bringing a trespass offering to the Lord.
The trespass was to be restored, if possible….or payment made to replace what was taken, or found, or miscounted.
The trespass offering was about making things right….between you and God, and between each other….yet God was ever to be in the middle of it….seeing to it, and honoring the reconciliation.
Yet how can we ever restore to a righteous God, what we have lied, stolen (time, talents), and been in error about?
We can not…..we must bring our Trespass offering….which is Christ Jesus.
Psalm 69:4 “….then I restored that which I took not away.”
The Lord Jesus restored, for you and me…..our trespass….and gave the more than that which was required.
In Hebrews it says that the blood of goats and bulls accomplished nothing in themselves (Hebrews 10:8-10)….for…..
….they were all pointing to the Only True Sacrifice…Jesus Christ the Lord.
How much we have in Him! How much He did for us!
Who can calculate the greatness of His sacrifice….just for me.
May we all bow our heads and magnify the Lord’s grace, in granting such a sinner as I, salvation….nearness to Him….in my life now, and in heaven for eternity.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 